Lira takes on dream job at Southwest

New Southwest girls basketball coach Christina Lira set her sights on San Antonio long ago. She she arrived, however, via a circuitous route.

Lira had a college scholarship offer she thought would bring her to the Alamo City but ultimately decided on the University of Texas-Permian Basin over St. Mary’s University. Nine years later, she won’t be too far from St. Mary’s when she succeeds longtime Dragons coach Bill Avey at Southwest.

Avey retired after last season. Lira was hired April 10 from a pool of about 40 applicants, according to Southwest ISD athletic director Peter Wagner.

“I’ve just always wanted to be in San Antonio,” she said. “To come here for my first coaching job, I feel like it’s a dream job.”

The El Paso Americas High School alum had been an assistant coach at Odessa for three years and Midland Lee the past two years. Lee head basketball coach Alfred Acosta texted Lira to let her know the Southwest job was available. She interviewed just one day before she was hired.

“Our committee really liked her spirit,” Wagner said. “We liked her plan to continue to build from the middle school and lower to sustain a successful program.

“Obviously, Bill did a ridiculously fantastic job. Christina is young, but she came highly recommended by Coach Acosta. She’s someone whom we can hopefully really (build with) for a long, long time.”

Avey coached Southwest for 14 seasons after coaching Incarnate Word for five years. He guided the Dragons to a 396-177 record with 16 postseason appearances and nine district titles. This winter, the team finished 13-19 overall and 5-9 in District 29-6A.

“What I enjoyed were the relationships with the kids that can turn into lifelong bonds,” said Avey, who’ll continue at the district as English and language arts coordinator for secondary grades.

“When you coach, you make a commitment to the kids that you want to continue beyond their high school years. In many ways, that’s what it’s all about.”

Under Avey, the Dragons advanced to the Region IV quarterfinals in 2004 and the area round five times while averaging nearly 20 wins per season. They qualified for the playoffs each year between 2009 and 2016.

“Nobody gets into coaching to lose,” Avey said. “I was blessed to win a lot of games. But what I’ll miss is the players and formulating relationships with them.”

In the 2018-19 season, Southwest will be assigned to District 28-5A.

“I do understand that they’ll be big shoes to fill,” Lira said. “It’ll be just a good, fresh start.”

In her time at Lee, the Rebels qualified for the playoffs in 2017 and advanced to the Region I quarterfinals in 2018.

“After going to college, I gave myself a five-year window to get my feet wet,” Lira said. “After last season, I felt like it was time for me to move out of the area and be a head coach.”

After being hired, Lira came to San Antonio to meet Southwest’s players and put in an offseason plan. She also has seen them play in summer league games.

“I was able to run practice six or seven times,” Lira said. “I was able to see what we needed to have a successful year. Talking to the girls, they all agree it will help us to move from 6A to 5A.”